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A statue of Abraham Lincoln stands outside the west entrance to Nebraska's State Capitol in Lincoln, but the Capital City bears the slain president's name because a political ploy failed. In 1999 file photo, Civil War reenacters celebrate Lincoln's birthday. Lincoln's Lincoln was sculpted by Daniel Chester French, who collaborated with architect Henry Bacon to provide the statue's setting. French and Bacon are most famous for their work on the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. (WILLIAM LAUER / Lincoln Journal Star file photo)

The story behind Lincoln's namesake

A statue of Abraham Lincoln stands outside the west entrance to Nebraska's State Capitol in Lincoln, but the Capital City bears the slain president's name because a political ploy failed. In 1999 file photo, Civil War reenacters celebrate Lincoln's birthday. Lincoln's Lincoln was sculpted by Daniel Chester French, who collaborated with architect Henry Bacon to provide the statue's setting. French and Bacon are most famous for their work on the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. (WILLIAM LAUER / Lincoln Journal Star file photo)
William Lauer

At least three dozen counties, towns and cities are named after
the man who brought the nation back together.

And while most places were named to honor one of the country's
most revered presidents, Lincoln, Neb., had a more backhanded way
of "honoring" him.

In fact, some politicians attempted to use Lincoln's name as a
way to dissuade constituents from moving the capital from Omaha,
which had been the territorial government seat since 1854.

The story has been chronicled on the Nebraska State Historical
Society's website and in books by historian Jim McKee,
including his latest, "Visions of Lincoln: Nebraska's Capital City
in the Present, Past and Future."

Territorial Gov. Thomas Cuming hailed from Council Bluffs, Iowa,
across the Missouri River from Omaha, and was a strong proponent of
keeping the capital in Omaha.

But nearly twice the number of people lived south of the Platte
River and thought the capital should be closer to the center of the
population.

Tempers flared as residents south of the Platte felt they
weren't fairly treated and lacked proper representation in the
Legislature.

For nearly 13 years, a fierce struggle raged over the location
of the capital, and by 1867 a group launched an initiative to move
it.

During the last territorial legislature, the battles flared so
hotly that at one point fists and guns were brandished and south
Platters talked of seceding and joining Kansas.

When the issue came to a vote, there was little protest for
removal from northerners -- except for one Omaha senator.

Sen. J.N.H. Patrick made a last-ditch attempt to keep the
capital in his city by proposing a different name for the new seat
of government.

Legislators had planned to call the new capital "Capital City."
But citing the name as "inexplicably clumsy and ugly," Patrick
proposed it be changed to "Lincoln" after the deceased
president.

He thought the promoter of the bill for a new capital -- Sen.
Mills Reeves of Nebraska City, a former slaveholder and vocal
opponent of Lincoln -- would be rattled by this change and oppose
his own bill.

Reeves was said to have "disliked the name of Lincoln more than
Satan himself," according to first-hand accounts.

Surprisingly, Reeves not only took no offense but even seconded
Patrick's motion and the bill passed.

The village of Lancaster, founded in 1856, was chosen out of
three potential locations for the new capital and was renamed
Lincoln.

"It's definitely a unique situation," says McKee. "Everyone
assumes it was a great honor, but it was a political trick that
backfired.

"If you asked 1,000 people, they'd all say it's in honor of
Lincoln -- but that's only half the truth."

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